I am the teeth in the dark
by swisstony
Summary: Howard/Vince and Kitten have an adventure
1. Chapter 1

'I got a letter.' Howard informs her pushing a rumpled envelope under her nose, she stares at it blankly taking a long drag from her cigarette before casually pushing it away, he sighs he can't help it.

'She died, Aunty Sylvia. Mum,' He sees the flare in her eyes, he scratches the back of his neck.

'…the funeral is Saturday, THEY…Mum wants to see us.' She giggles her laughter is hollow, brittle and full of hurt.

'Us, really?' She bites at the long manicured nail of her thumb, rolling the edge of her cigarette against her coffee cup scattering ash across the half drunk cooling contents.

'You're going?'

'Yes.' He answers simply; it shouldn't feel like this like he's betraying her. She pushed the letter further away almost off the edge of the kitchen table, she stops just short of the corner giving the scrap of white paper a last minute reprieve.

'You're not?' She nods silently, slipping her cigarette back into the corner of her mouth.

'Things are different now, THEY'VE changed.' She looks up frowning her gaze is filled with a mixture of pity, and something else he can't put his finger on.

'You should take Vince,'

'What?' It's his turn to be startled.

'You should, you could make it up to him after that whole mini-break fiasco.' He's starting to think that Vince and his sister being so close is perhaps not the best position for him, they tend to talk to each other and then gang up on him.

'It's a funeral,' Howard barks back at her, she casually shrugs.

'I'm sure he understands the principal.'

'If you're not coming then I, I want to take Kit with me.' Her eyes widen, he expects a response but there's nothing just blankness.

'He should get to know our side of the family, we were all so close before we moved here I want that for him.' He forgets sometimes that Kitten isn't actually his son, that he can't just demand such things. It's an easy mistake to make, he's had so much input in the little boy's life it does make him feel a little bit like a Dad. She's thinking.

'Do you remember when we went to Spain,' She utters wistfully.

'Yes, yes and I want it to be like that again.' She stubs out her cigarette brushing down the front of her dress as she stands up.

'I'll have to talk to Saboo about it.' She muses, Howard can't help but smile. He watches her as she dangerously tilters down the stairs back into the shop below, turning back to the kitchen table he notices the letter has gone.


	2. Five main food groups

'Ooooh get that, get that!' Vince exclaims excitedly as he dashes along the supermarket aisles the trolley bouncing and clattering in front of him, Howard as always trails behind rolling his eyes at the younger man's unashamed excitement. He keeps having to remind Vince that it's a funeral they're going to, not a party.

'Vince,' He's not listening, he's to busy filling the trolley with sweets and brightly coloured jumbo packs of crisps, and luminous bottles of fizzy pop.

'Vince,' Howard reaches out catching Vince's hand holding him in place, forcing him to pay attention for the briefest of moments.

'…we don't need all this, Little man.'

A quizzical expression falls over the younger man's face as he glances down frowning at the contents of the trolley.

'But Howard,'

'My Mum has food, she will feed us.' His gaze shifts.

'Yeah but that'll be Northern rubbish like potatoes, we need real food Howard.' Howard desperately attempts to suppress a smile, but the corners of his mouth twist upwards betraying him. He's been dreading this, ever since he rang his Mother and confirmed he'd be attending, he's been dreading it. It's not Vince, it's not Kitten, it's not even the exhausting drive that's awaiting him, it's the thought of going back. Part of him has always thought of Leeds as his home, he's always been a proud Yorkshire man, but it's not really his home it hasn't been for a long time and he's secretly scared that if he goes back something will change inside him, the old part of him the part that he's tried to fight off, to hold back will burst back into his life and fill everything up with doubt, and pain.

'We've got the five main food groups here, Howard.' Vince has been talking, he's only just realised it, he's been talking and it's been Howard's turn not to listen.

'Howard!' Vince frowns exasperated by Howard utter incompetence.

'The five main food groups, right. Crisps, chocolate, sweets, popcorn, and fizzy.' Howard pauses for the briefest of moments.

'I'm not sure fizzy can be adequately classified as a food group, little man.'

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Vince sighed heavily as he pushed the front of his t-shirt down, smoothing down the acid yellow fabric across his chest. He yawned sleepily and rolled back into Howard's side, letting one arm sprawl across Howard's chest as his other fingers toyed with the ends of his hair.

'Do you think I should do something with my hair?' Vince questions, the glazed look in his eye told Howard that his words weren't entirely directed at him.

'The colour, maybe get some silver streaks or something.' He mules it over for the briefest of moments, silver is a bit close to grey for comfort.

'Or red. Red would be genius, not all over though I don't wanna be a ginger or nothin'.' Howard has been staying purposely quiet, when it come to Vince's hair he tends to air on the side of caution and keep as far away from the subject as possible. Instead he twists his body awkwardly attempting to plant a kiss on Vince's lips, but Vince pushes him away with a disgusted sneer.

'Your breath stinks.' He complains, Howard chuckles indulgently planting a kiss on the top of Vince head instead.

'Is that better?' Howard inquires grinning down at Vince, the younger man answers back with a wordless shrug, cuddling into him closer. Vince has always been tactile, overly tactile he's like a Spider Monkey clinging to everything unable and unwilling to let go, but there's something about him this morning something even more needy.

'What's all this in aide of, Sir.'

'Just making the most of you.' The knot in Howard's stomach suddenly tightens, he can't do it he can't face going without Vince, he just can't.

'You're still coming aren't you?' He asks trying to keep the weaver from his voice.

'Course I am. I'm just making the most of you, cus you know we're not gonna get to do this for a whole weekend!' Howard opens his mouth to speak, but Vince cuts him off.

'Come on small eyes, you know what you're like you wont touch me in front of Kitten, you're never gonna even look at me while we're staying with you're parents.' He wants to deny it but he can't.

'Little man,'

'It's alright, as soon as we get back I'm handcuffing you to the bed and bumming you silly.' He chuckles.

'That better be a promise. And anyway we can still,' Howard shifts awkwardly embarrassed, Vince flashes him a toothy grin.

'What in the van?'

'There's a playing field at the back of my parents house, or at least there use to be it's probably been built over now.'

'A playing field, Howard I'm not gonna shag you in a playing field I'm not thirteen!'


	3. You only want to give the gong a bang

**Thanks Hayley 4 the loverly review: D**

With Bollo's help it only takes Howard an hour to pack up the van with Vince's cases, they've scaled it down from sixty to thirty-five suitcases, there's just enough space to squeeze Kitten comfortably in the back.

'Vince moving back in when you two come back.' Howard's not sure if Bollo's sentence had been a statement or a question.

'No, no he isn't.' Howard exhales miserably.

'Vince spend more time in flat now than when he lived there.' Bollo informs, Howard frowns the ape is not entirely off the mark.

'It's not all one way traffic Sir, I spend a good proportion of my time over at Vince's.' With Bollo's added monkey strength the pair managed to wrestle the back door of the van closed.

'How much did Vince bring with him.' Bollo jabs in the direction of the cluttered luggage, Howard pauses thinking except for the cases he can't recall Vince bringing any items with him everything that was currently residing in the back of the van had come from inside the flat. He contemplates the extra wardrobe, it's a fabric thing that they bought from _Ikea _one weekend, it was meant to be a storage solution for all the items of clothes that Vince didn't wear anymore but couldn't bring himself to part with, but now it's filled with new things, and it sits unashamed in the corner of Howard's bedroom. And the bathroom, the occasional spare toothbrush which had always been reserved for 'guests' now sat permanently next to Howard's own in the holder. And then there were the products they'd slipped back into the bathroom without anyone really noticing. It suddenly dawned on Howard that Vince was actually living with him.

'You ready to go then Vince?' Howard asks trying to change the subject of his own internal dialogue, as Vince bounds out of the shop clutching a floppy scarlet hat.

'Cool your jets, I couldn't find me sunglasses.' Vince stops giving Bollo a quick goodbye hug before jumping into the passenger's seat.

'Did you find them?' Howard quizzes him as he starts the engine.

'What?'

'Your sunglasses?'

'Na, I'll have a look for 'em when we get back home.'

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It was raining, or at least it had been raining, as soon as Howard and Vince had walked over the threshold of Howard's sister's garden gate the rain abruptly stopped replaced by blazing bright sunshine.

'That's genius!' Vince grinned pointing at the van, which was still being trenched on the other side of the fence. It made Howard uncomfortable, it wasn't the magic he'd grown use to magic being a daily part of his life, it was Saboo…he just didn't, there was just something about him, it was complicated. Vince excitedly dragged Howard in the direction of the front door, he'd been reaching out to ring the doorbell when the front door had swung open suddenly.

'You are late!' Saboo appeared frowning, Vince vainly attempted to stifle a giggle at the sight of the Shaman glad only in a knee length pink fluffy dressing gown.

'S'not our fault, it's raining.' Vince piped up, Saboo's eyes narrowed as he glanced down his nose at the younger small man. Saboo always looks at Vince like that with a mixture of contempt, distaste and confusion, it's almost as if he's trying to work out what exactly Vince is, not sexually just generally, Howard doesn't like it.

'I expected better from you, Howard.' Howard's not entirely sure what to make of that statement, considering he's only had a full conversation with Saboo twice.

'It's not Howard's fault,' He catches Vince by his elbow.

'Simmer down, little man.' He whispers, trying desperately not to smile he loves it when Vince goes over all punchy and defensive, he likes his cockney ragamuffin.

'Uncle Howard! Vince!' Kitten darts through the gap between his father and the doorway launching himself onto Vince unceremoniously.

'Alright.' Vince chuckles as the little boy wraps his arms and legs tightly around his neck and waist. Howard's sister appears moments later looking pale, drawn and tearful, hovering in the doorway behind Saboo clutching her son's backpack tightly to her chest. It's the first time Kitten's has ever been away longer than a night.

'Here you go.' She sniffles trying to be brave, as she hands over Kitten's backpack. Everything suddenly grows very awkward.

'So, do you two have any plans?' Howard inquires, breaking the tension with something bland.

'Saboo's got a Shaman's thing,' Her voice weavers, it's obvious she's about to burst into tears any moment. Saboo raps his arm protectively around her narrow sloping shoulders; it's one of the rare tender gestures that indicates that Saboo does have a heart, and that his feeling run deeper than they first appear.

'You're not gonna be stuck 'ere on your own are you?'

'No she will not.' Saboo barks, closing up once again.

'Well we best be off.' Howard muses, just wanting to leave right there and then he hates the awkwardness thing are always awkward when Saboo is around. Kitten jumps down from Vince wrapping his arms tightly around both his parents.

'Be good.'

'_I will.' _

'We love you.' She plants a sloppy kiss on the side of Kitten's cheek before retreating quickly back inside the house sobbing.


	4. The sun your friend is much too bright

**This is another one just 4 u Hayley: D**

'That was weird.'

'Vince!' Howard hissed through gritted teeth as he slipped back in front of the steering wheel. The torrent, which had been pelting the van ceased.

'You alright back there?' Vince questioned twisting in his seat, Kitten sat directly behind him wedged tightly between the door, and Vince's multitude of cases, it had been a struggle to squash the little boy in.

'Belt up, little man.' Howard orders with a sly grin, as he slips his key back into the ignition. Vince exhales moodily, but for a change does what he's told.

'Do you reckon they'll be, alright?' Kitten pipes up from the back seat, his voice sounding small, Howard glances in the wing mirror watching his nephew cautiously.

'What, your Mum and Dad?' Vince questions, in the midst of one of his denser moments.

'I'm sure they will,'

'Yeah, you heard 'em they've got that Shaman party. Those parties are genius.' Vince interrupted Howard, and Kitten evaporated into excited giggles.

'Still, they ain't gonna have as good a time as us. Now, pass me the tape.' From the back pack on his lap Kitten produces a small plastic tape, Howard tries to hide his smile, Vince will always be retro he'll never adapt to new technology.

'That better not be Gary flaming Numan.' He warns, a consecratory chuckle bubbles up between Vince and Kitten, and Howard can't help but feel as if life will never get any better than this.

'_Someone wants to say hello to his Uncle Howard.'_ _Howard glanced up from his position behind the shop counter, the next thing he had known was that there had been a wriggling baby in his arms. _

'_How's my big man, how is he.' Howard cooed relaxing somewhat, the first time he'd ever held Kitten he'd been so afraid of hurting him, he'd seemed so small._

'_He's smelling.' _

'_I know,' His sister had giggled shaking her head as he'd tried to palm Kitten back off onto his Mother._

'_Oh, no you don't,' She'd smirked, as she'd produced a changing mat and bag from nowhere, spreading it out over the shop counter._

'_I'm not doing that, I'm not changing his nappy Sir.' _

'_You don't have a choice, I have to do this I don't see why you should get away with it.' She'd lifted Kitten safely out of Howard's grasp, and down carefully onto his changing mat._

'_But,'_

'_Because if anything ever happened to me or Saboo, you'd be on nappy changing duty permanently, well at least until Kitten's potty trained.' The world had tipped a little on it's axis._

'_Really?' Howard had asked his voice had been thick with emotion. She hugged him awkwardly._

'_Now, get them sleeves rolled up.' She'd elbowed him in the ribs, before leaning over her son._

'_Uncle Howard is gonna clean-up your pooey bum, so Mummy can have a sit down and read her Cheekbone.' She'd kissed Kitten's cheek, and then hopped up onto a nearby stool burying her head in her glossy magazine. _


	5. You missed a spot by the way

'Come on you know the next bit!' Vince exclaimed excitedly glancing backwards at Kitten waiting for him to join in with the chorus of _Life on Mars_, Howard had already been forced to listen to _Gary Numan's _entire back catalogue, and now the tapes had moved onto _David Bowie_.

Vince frowned Kitten had turned rather silent, rather quickly.

'You, okay?' He coaxed with a smile, a greenish hue spread over Kitten's features.

'Howard.' Howard ignored him concentrating on the road, and attempting to block out the radio.

'My tummy hurts.' Kitten whined desperately, Vince's eyes widened dramatically. The first thing Howard had known about the situation was the radio being switched off, and his sleeve being desperately tugged upon.

'Howard, pull over.'

'What, why?'

'I feel, I feel sick.' The small shrill voice that rose up from the back seat explained the situation.

'Howard you have to pull over, he's gonna chuck.'

'I can't!' Howard's small eyes searched the busy motorway desperately.

'Howard!'

'Vince! I can't pull over, can't you deal with it?'

'What about the tough shoulder, pull in on the tough shoulder!'

Howard had planned for almost every eventuality even kidnapping, but a five year old vomiting in the back of his van was something he'd never thought of, he kicked himself mentally.

'It's hard, hard shoulder Vince, and I can't do you know how many accidents are caused by that? This is your fault.' He snapped the pressure getting to him.

'How is this, my fault?' Vince cried out a wounded note thick in his throat.

'You gave Kit all those sweets!'

'You didn't stop me, if you thought it was such a bad idea you could have stopped me, Howard.' Howard went quite, while Vince emptied out the contents of a _Tesco _shopping bag onto his lap, he unbuckled his seat belt and moved clumsily into the back seat, there was no room for him to sit so he ended up hunched uncomfortably in a foot well.

'Vince.' Kitten retched tearfully.

'It's okay, it's okay don't worry.' Vince soothed, quickly winding the window next to Kitten.

'Take some nice deep breaths, yeah. In, out.'

Howard felt terrible as he watched them together, guilt twisted up inside his stomach.

'That's it, that's it!' Kitten gasped for air, and was immediately sick into the carrier bag.

The bag of course leaked.

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'There, you feeling better now?' Vince grinned as he finished helping Kitten into a clean t-shirt, he thrust the sick covered fabric of the old garment in Howard's general direction, the grimace that slip over Howard's features had nothing to do with the crusty, sticky vomit that covered his hands, Vince still wasn't talking to him.

'You wanna pop these on, or these?' Vince held up a pair of shorts in one hand, and a pair of jeans in the other, the little boy considered both garments for a moment before deciding on the shorts, Vince couldn't help but chuckle glancing up at Howard before suddenly remembering himself, and looking away with a pained frown.

'Little man,' Howard whispers softly. Taking the shorts out of Vince's grasp Kitten darts off in the direction of one of the empty toilet cubicles to get changed. Just after it had been too late Howard had managed to locate a motorway service station, which they'd pulled into, and where now standing in the men's toilets of.

'I'm sorry.' He apologised weakly as soon as Kitten was out of sight, it elicited no response from the smaller man who was busily bundling up the little boy's dirty clothes.

'I didn't mean what I said, it's not your fault it's mine I'm the one whose meant to be,' Howard paused from washing his hands watching as the image of the mirror in front of him suddenly stilled.

'What, you're meant to be what Howard? Responsible, is that it, you're the responsible one and I'm the what…the clown, the liability that you have to make allowances for?'

'I didn't mean it like that.' He defended his comment weakly, Vince was suddenly next to him scowling.

'You still don't think I'm capable,' His voice left his body in a harsh whisper.

'That's not true.' Vince shot him a dark look, which screamed 'you're a liar'.

'You always forget that out of the two of us it's me, me who's actually survived on their own. I have never needed you to rescue me, Howard.'

'I know that.' Howard exhaled miserably, the truth was that he was more than aware of how little Vince or anyone else for that matter really needed him.

'I can do this too, I might not be boring like you but I can be just as responsible.' Boring had been like a body blow, Vince always knew how to exact the most possible damage with a small number of words, he has a way of hitting the most vulnerable parts of a persons psyche, and he's a master in the art of hurting people. Howard can't stand him when he's like this; his guilt was eaten up by resentment.

'Vince…'

'Ready!' Kitten pops out of one of the cubicles smiling, and totally oblivious to the argument, which has been going on, interrupting Howard before he has a chance to say something he will truly regret.

'Wash your hands.' Howard tells him, glaring at the smirk quivering in the corner of Vince's mouth. Kitten quickly washed his hands, the pale colour fading from his cheeks.

'Can we go and play in the arcade now, Uncle Howard?' He quizzes his grin slipping momentarily when he notices the icy stares that pass between the adults. Howard remained pointedly silent.

'Sure, I wanna have a go on that dance mat thing, it looks genius!'

'Can I have some ice cream Vince, I'm really hungry now.' Kitten latches onto Vince's hand tightly, his grasp still clammy and wet. Vince's pauses mulling it over for a moment, he knows what Howard thinks he's going to say, he knows what he wants to say but he pulls back.

'I dunno, maybe you should give that stomach of yours a break.' With his point made Vince grins as Kitten drags him out of the men's toilets.

'Are you coming, Uncle Howard?' Kitten calls out from over his shoulder.

'No, no I'm going to clean out the van.'

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'Don't tell Howard about this, yeah.' Vince pleaded as he deposits a small glass of chocolate ice cream down in front of Kitten, he slips into the hard red plastic chair opposite the hungry little boy.

'You should by him something.' Kitten muses between mouthfuls.

'Who?'

'Uncle Howard. When Mummy and Daddy fight, Daddy always buys Mummy something.' It's not bad advice, it would probably work on anyone other than Howard, but Vince doesn't see why he should be the one to apologise, although he did call Howard boring, Howard is boring but in a good way, he's boring but he's his Howard Vince wouldn't want him any other way.

'When you make up, do you think you're going to get married Tanya Harrison went to this wedding the other day and she wore this big pink dress and she went on and on about it at school, and I know that I went to Mummy and Daddy's wedding but that was ages ago, and I bet yours would be genius.' It slowly dawned of Vince what Kitten had said.

'So you know then, about me and your Uncle Howard, you know that we're not just best friends.' The little boy nodded, the sides of his mouth were smeared with chocolate ice cream.

'You're his boyfriend, like Jack, I like you more than Jack though he sounded funny and he always gaze me liquorish, I hate liquorish.' Vince shifted in his seat awkwardly at the mention of Jack's name that still bothers him, he knows it shouldn't but he doesn't like the idea of there having been anyone like him in Howard's life before, he doesn't revel in the knowledge that he's not in fact Howard's first, and only ever boyfriend that he's just the second one, it's not how it was suppose to have been.

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'Alright, small eyes.' Vince chuckles as he races Kitten back to the van, Howard is predictably sitting in the driver's seat sulking.

'I didn't mean it you know, you ain't boring.' He leans against the side of Howard's door his arm angled over the open window, his fingers brushing against the older man's clenched hand. Howard glances up at him his expression unreadable.

'Come on, you know you want to forgive me, I forgive you.' Vince leans in as close as he can to Howard's ear.

'I'll yet you bum me in that playfield of yours later, but only if you forgive me.' He whispers.

'I forgive you.' Howard finally gives in knowing that Vince will never stop until he's got his own way, and it's quite a tempting offer.

'Are we ready to go now?' Kitten clambers into the front seat, while Vince gets in the back.

'Change of plans Howard, Kitten's gonna sit up front with you, and I'm gonna have the vom seat, you missed a spot by the way.'


	6. He didn't know she was yours

The soft rhythmical breathing emanating from the small body next to him made Howard smile.

'He's even cuter when he's having a sleepie.' Vince mused stifling a yawn with the back of his hand. He leans forward, as far forward as the tight fabric of his seat belt would allow weaving his hand around the head rest in front of him letting his fingers trace patterns across the back of Howard's neck. Howard visibly shivered under his ministrations.

'Little man.'

'You need a hair cut, you're getting all shaggy at the back.' Vince informs letting his hand slip from the warmth of Howard's skin, sitting back in his seat folding his arms across his chest.

'What happened to the days when you use to lean me up against a pillow, and go at me.'

'You sleep on your back now.' Vince smiles kicking the back of Howard's seat affectionately.

'It's not through choice, Little man, it's through the necessity of having a limpet attached to my chest.' Vince grins watching his own reflection in the now darkened car window.

'Still, at least you ain't got that deformity no more.'

'Stop calling it that, it wasn't a deformity…it was just,' He frowns trying to categorise in his own mind what exactly it had been that had fallen off him when he'd been having that shower. Vince chuckles at his pause, slurping noisily the last of his _McDonald's _strawberry milk shake. They are running far behind Howard's carefully planned schedule, they've made at least four unplanned pit stops since Kitten had been sick, twice had been for Topshop, and the last stop had been for food, _McDonald's _where Vince had ordered Chicken nuggets, fries, a large milkshake and a _Rolo McFlurry_, Kitten had copied him in his menu request however he'd skipped the _Rolo McFlurry_, Howard has suspected that his nephew's distaste for that particular type of confectionary may have been due to the fast quantities his Mother had consumed when she'd been pregnant. Howard was a man of much simpler tastes and he'd settled for a plain quarter pounder, as always when he'd bitten into his hamburger he'd discovered the familiar tang of tomato sauce, and onions, he'd scraped out the middle sharing it equally between Vince and Kitten. They'd sat in the car park for a whole hour eating, and laughing, and teaching Kitten how to Crimp. They had decided jointly that it was about time the little boy learned, after all they had Crimped with Naboo and Bollo, and neither of them were half way as important. Howard had forgotten how much he'd missed Crimping, he'd only attempted to do it once after Vince had left and that had been by mistake. The ones they had taught Kitten had been old material, the things they tended to Crimp about now wasn't appropriated listening matter for a five year old. He'd caught on fast, because, as Howard had proudly pointed out Kitten was a Moon and that automatically made him bright.

'Do you think,' Howard exhaled his eyes focusing on the red tail lights in front of him.

'Do you think,' He started again before stopping unsure of himself.

'What?' Vince asked impatiently.

'Do you think we'd still be here now, if you hadn't have left?'

'No.' Vince answers simply, it's too blunt Howard wasn't expecting it, it wasn't the answer he had wanted.

'Why?' He questions his shoulders tensing.

A ripple of laughter floats up from the back seat.

'Cus Kitten wouldn't exist that's for sure, if I'd been around then there would have been no way I would have let your sister get knocked up by Saboo.'

'I don't think you could have stopped it, little man.' Howard sighs in relief as they finally turn off of the motorway, he's tired he's be driving for hours, it feels like days all he wants to do is sleep.

'Whatever. I would have fixed her up with someone,'

'Who?'

Vince goes through his extensive list of contacts in his head.

'Leroy.'

'Leroy!' Howard spits.

'Yeah, why not? There's nothing wrong with Leroy, and he's always fancied her.' This is new and unwelcome news to Howard, he's never liked the idea of his sister having any 'admirers', she's his sister in his mind she never has sex, she has NEVER had sex, and Kitten was conceived through IVF or something equally less physical.

'He doesn't even really know her.'

'Like that makes any difference.' Vince sounds baffled by his naivety.

'I caught him wanking over her.'

'When!' Howard's voice sounds strangled and high pitched to his own ears.

'Back when we were at college, years ago, I walked in on him wanking over one of our old school photos.'

'That's disgusting.'

Vince shrugs his shoulders, keeping a vital and specific piece of information to himself.

'He didn't know, that she was your sister, he was dead you know respectful when I told him. He's like that you know, with his women, dead nice to their Mums and their brothers.'

'Shut up.'


	7. This is it

**Thanks 2 Hayley 4 always giving me loverly reviews…**

**And also 2 Thursday for reviewing: D Sorry I confused u lol…**

**This isn't the end, but I haven't done any thankus in a while and I thought it was a bit rude lol…**

**Ne way thank u, all loads: D**

**And always cheers 2 ne one else who reads this: D**

'_Take your dressing gown off.' Vince had ordered. Howard's entire body had felt like it was on fire, he'd flushed as he'd glanced down at the knotted cord, which had been the only thing maintaining his modesty._

'_Vince.' He'd fumbled for a way of getting out of the situation, wondering how drunk he'd really been when he'd agreed to do this._

'_Come on Howard, get your Northern pins out.' Vince had insisted with a smirk. His attention had soon drifted away as he'd busily arranged his easel, and virgin white canvas. He'd started painting again during his travels, he'd missed it, Vince had forgotten how many colours actually existed, he'd wondered at the different palettes of each of the continents he had visited. In Australia for example he'd used a lot of blue, a lot of yellow and red, and bright burnt orange, it had been raw and his canvases seemed to radiate and hum with hot, heavy, dusty late afternoon sunshine. China had been completely different, in the cities he'd visited the colour scheme of his paintings had been darker, vibrant night-time landscapes, cut out with flashes of neon, and an unending army of silver sky scrapers. _

'_Look can't I just, can't I just keep my clothes on? You didn't ask Bollo to strip for you when you painted him, or when you painted me back at the zoo.' Howard had gulped, he couldn't understand why it bothered him so much, he'd been naked in front of Vince before, in fact he was pretty much always naked in front of Vince, and vice-versa, but this, this had felt different, he'd felt exposed. _

'_Howard, just do it yeah.' Vince had mused, a paintbrush hanging out the side of his mouth._

'_I'm planning on doing a series of these for every room in our flat, when we get it, so you better get use to it small eyes.' _

'_What is it going to be your Blue Period, little man.' Howard chuckled weakly, wincing at what a bellow par come back that really had been._

'_I reckon this one 'ill go above the bed.' Vince had shrugged._

'_What happened to that sign, the neon one, you had your eye on the other day, I thought that was going above our fictional bed.' The younger man had considered the painting, the sign and the fictional bed, his eyes narrowing as he slotted them all into place in his mind. _

'_Maybe, the living room then. And stop staling, get your kit off, Moon.' _

_Howard realised he'd reached the end of the rope, there had been nothing left for him than to unknot his belt, and shrug the faded, threadbare nutmeg fabric from his shoulders. He'd expected some response from Vince, a titter at least, but he'd been busy mixing his paints lost in his own concentration. _

'_Where,' Howard had swallowed thickly._

'…_where do you want me.' _

'_On the bed.' Vince had chuckled, as he'd waved his hand dismissively in the direction of Howard's bed, mixing his paints. Once he had been standing there, Howard had suddenly begun to relax, he'd crawled into the centre of his bed feeling more, and more at ease with himself, and the situation. _

'_Put your arm, that arm behind your head.' He'd done what he was told moving his right arm, letting it rest behind his head, he'd grinned over at Vince watching him as he'd started to work._

'_Have you ever done this before.'_

_Vince had fixed Howard with a confused frown._

'_No, I mean this little man.' Vince had chewed on the end of his paintbrush, his frown hadn't been one of confusion he'd known exactly what Howard had meant, and he'd had no answer for him. There were a number of paintings Howard had no idea about, they were of Clem, and just like the photos of her Vince had still owned he couldn't bring himself to part with them, it wasn't really about her, it was more about the fact that they'd been some of the best work he'd ever produced._

'_I did that life drawing class, for me BETECH, remember.' It had only been a white lie, the younger man had reassured himself, there had been a life drawing class for his BETECH course, but Vince hadn't ever shown up for it, he and Leroy had copped off with two waitresses from a roller disco, and the brunette one, Vince always ended up with the brunette ones, because Leroy always bagged the blondes or the redheads, had kept her skates on._

'Little man, little man.' Vince woke up with a start, he glanced around his surroundings still caught in a halfway house of not being asleep, but being in no way fully awake. Howard chuckled recognizing his familiar dazed expression.

'It's alright,' He grinned, rubbing his rough fingers over the exposed skin of Vince's arm.

'We're here, little man.' Vince soaked up the information, so he was finally in the North, this was what it was like. He peered through his window, but all he could see was darkness, rain pelted the van hammering hard against the roof of the vehicle.

'What time is it?'

'It's late.' Howard replied yawning hard.

'He's still asleep?' Unbuckling his belt Vince leaned forward, glancing over the side of the passenger's seat smiling down at Kitten who was still fast asleep.

'You two, have been completely useless this whole journey.' Howard chuckled.

'Hey!' Vince exclaimed punching him on the arm defensively.

'I'm surprised I'm not in a coma, all that flaming slap base you've been playing. Check his pulse, all the experimental Jazz might have been too much for him, he's only little, Howard.' Howard scoffed at the suggestion.

'Nonsense Sir, Kit's a Moon, Jazz is in his blood.' Howard paused briefly over his last statement replaying it in his head, it was a lie. He wasn't sure how much Vince remembered about meeting his parents, knowing Vince it would be absolutely nothing, he'd completely forgotten that Howard had, had a sister, regardless Vince was about to discover that Jazz was most defiantly not in the blood of the Moons.

'Do you want me to wake him up.' The attention of Howard's gaze shifted back onto the sleeping form of his nephew.

'No, we best let him sleep. You pick him up, while I get the cases out of the back.'

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Vince's teeth chattered as he was battered by the elements, it could of course be cold in London, but he'd never experienced such terrible weather before, the rain was icy and driving and the wind had chilled him to the bone, even the Tundra had been preferable. He shivered as he wrapped the blanket that had been draped over Kitten tightly around the little boy's form, attempting the shield him from the climate. He never even stirred as Vince had lifted him carefully into his arms. Vince made a dash for it up the dimly lit garden path ducking under the cover of Howard's parents' double glazed porch way.

'Howard, come on!' His voice escaped his body in a harsh, rasping whisper as he fought to be heard over the wind, but tried desperately not to wake Kitten at the same time. There was no reply, he wasn't sure if Howard had heard him, Vince opened his mouth to call out again, but he was interrupted by the front door swinging open in front of him, he winced at the sudden burst of amber light.

'Mrs Moon?'


	8. Too young

**Thanks 2 Hayley for reviewing: D**

**And for anyone else who reads this I really hope u enjoy it…**

**I know this fic is a bit slow boring, and generally rubbish, but I'm enjoying writing it lol…so tough: D**

Vince sighs sleepily, his arms stretching high above his head the tips of his fingers brushing against a hard smooth surface, he frowns a little his eyes still tightly closed he's not ready for the morning, the bright white sunny light he can feel beating down onto his features. He stifles a yawn as he rolls over, expecting to roll over into the warmth of Howard's arms or his back, what he comes up against however is the floor, as he tumbles suddenly off the edge of the small single bed and down head first onto an unfamiliar rough carpet.

'Owww, shit!' He complained, this was not how his normal morning routine went, for a start he didn't have a hangover, he hadn't given Howard a good seeing too, and he'd fallen out of bed, when had the bed been so small?

Dazed Vince glanced around his surroundings, its beige everything is beige, it's the colour Vince imagines of Howard's wet dreams. But this isn't Howard's bedroom, Howard's bedroom is anally tidy but surprisingly cluttered, mostly with Jazz stuff, which Howard always hides or covers up when Vince is staying the night. Vince has woken up in some places before, but never anywhere like this, everything is so blank, the room is Spartan, with a tiny single bed, and an old wardrobe, and then he remembers the night before, the freezing rain, standing at the threshold of Howard's parents' house holding Kitten in his arms. The look Howard's mother had flashed him had been a mixture of shock, and recognition.

'_Vincent!' _Mrs Moon was the only person who'd ever called him by his full name.

'_Alright.' _He'd grinned back at her, she hadn't changed very much, she was still slim and tall, her hair was greyer at the sides and a little bit on the top. She still had that unreachable air about her, however much he'd tried Vince could never make her like him, it wasn't that she hated him, she just never seemed to take much interest or notice of him. Not like Leroy's Mum, Leroy's Mum loved him, she always made a big fuss over him, there had been times when he'd been trapped on Leroy's sofa with her, and just a thin cushion between them that he'd wondered if Leroy's Mum made a little bit too much of a fuss over him.

'_Come in, come in.' _She'd hurried him inside, Howard had followed him inside moments later drenched and struggling under the weight of his, and Kitten's combined luggage. It had been awkward the meeting between Howard and his Mother, he'd shut the door and then they'd sort of stared at each other, before finally Howard had given her a quick kiss on the cheek, and she'd returned his affection with a squeeze of his arm. Vince had always been jealous of Howard and his family, they didn't really know how lucky they were to have each other.

'_You didn't say you were bringing anyone, Howard.'_ Vince had felt out of place, he remembers the apologetic look Howard had given him.

'_Vincent you'll have to sleep in Howard's old room, it's not aired though.'_ Vince doesn't understand old people preoccupation with 'airing' things.

'_We don't mind sharing Mum, don't put yourself out.' _Howard had chipped in, he'd smiled at Vince sheepishly.

'_What, the three of you in that tiny room, don't be ridiculous Howard, besides there's only one camp bed where would Vince sleep?' _

So that was how Vince had ended waking up and falling out of a tiny unfamiliar bed.

He remembered now.

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From the moment Howard's head had hit his pillow he was out like a light, however he wasn't asleep for long, or at least it didn't feel like he had been, he was woken up by something pressing on his chest shaking him.

'No,' Howard mumbled softly in his sleep rolling from his back onto his front, the shaking continued.

'…no Vince, I'm really, really tired.' Vince had to be the most fidgety person Howard had ever slept with, he was like a Whirling Dervish, and he was a kicker, Vince was forever kicking him when he was asleep, Howard never slept a full night since they'd been together, it was worse than having a baby at least at some point there was the faint hope that they would eventually grow out of it.

'Uncle Howard,' Howard opened one small eye, blinking in the half light Kitten's _Thomas the tank engine _nightlight cast.

'I'm scared,' Kitten exhaled crouching at the side of Howard's camp bed.

'It's okay, don't be scared I'm here I won't let anything happen to you.' His voice was thick with sleep, and he struggled to keep his small tired eyes open.

'Can I sleep with you, Uncle Howard?' Kitten's voice was faint, and small.

'Climb on in then.' Howard chuckled, rolling back the covers Kitten almost leapt on top of him shivering a little as he clutched at his pyjamas tightly.

'You shouldn't be scared you know,' He mused feeling a little more alert.

'This was your Mummy's room when she was little.'

'Really?'

'Yes Sir, it was pink back then though.'

'Urgh pink, pink is for girls.' The little boy spat sounding truly disgusted.

'Well, that's sort of the point, your Mummy is a girl.'

'Oh yeah.' They both irrupted into laughter.

'I'm not tired, I can't go back to sleep.' Kitten informs him, just as he felt himself slipping back into sleep himself.

'Well, just rest your eyes.'

Kitten rested his eyes for all of a second before he was shaking Howard awake once again.

'Kit,'

'Tell me a story.'

Howard sighs hard, all he wants to do was go to sleep, he's been driving all day and most of the night, he just wants to lose himself in sleep, he can barely breath he's so tired, and he's lost all grasp of what is reality.

'I don't have any stories,' He feels old.

'Tell me a special story,' Kitten continues ignoring his desperately plea, breathing softly against the fabric of Howard's pyjamas his smooth brow creases with a look of concentration as he traces a line between the thick blue and white stripes, Howard wraps one arm protectively around his nephew's narrow shoulders, this type of physical contact Howard relished in a way he'd never known he could.

'Please, tell me about you, and Vince, and the Zoo, and…'

'You can have one story.' He gave in to him, like he gave in to everyone else.

'Tundra!'

Howard struggled to suppress the smile that quivered in the corners of his mouth, their adventure in the frozen wastelands of the Arctic Tundra had always been one of his favourites, it was one of the first stories he'd ever told Kitten, at the time Howard could tell that the little boy had been transfixed with wonder staring up at him blankly from his cot. Of course the later versions of Howard's 'Tundra tale' differed somewhat significantly from the events that had actually taken place, for a start the egg they had found had been real and not a fake, he had been the one too punch Dixon Bainbridge, and there had been no mention of the 'I love you' incident. Howard wasn't ashamed of his sexuality, he'd come to terms with it, not that there had been anything to come to terms with, he'd always been…gay he just never, well part of him…that wasn't the point, the point was that it would only confuse Kitten, and he lived in an odd enough world already, he wouldn't understand.

'Simmer down now.' Howard tried his best to seem stern, and commanding as he tucks Kitten in next to him, the little boy suddenly goes quite and still, the anticipation was bright across his features.

One story, quickly turned into three, and it was at least another two hours before the pair eventually fell back to sleep.

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Vince, and Howard met on the landing.

'You look tired, Howard.' Vince mused, his keen ability to state the obvious coming to the fore.

'It wasn't the best of nights, Little man.'

'Did you miss me?' Vince smirked, waiting for the reaction his comment would provoke. The reaction he got was not the one he'd expected, he'd expected Howard to go all quite, desperate, embarrassed and sheepish, but instead Howard gave him a slight smile, and the hint of a cheeky wink. Vince is the one who suddenly grows sheepish glancing around once making sure that Kitten or Howard's parents aren't about to make any appearances, he leans forward wrapping his arms tightly around the older man's neck planting a hungry lingering kiss on his startled lips. It's a sudden rush, Howard's never kissed anyone in his parents' home before, he suddenly feels about fifteen again, he imagines what it would have been like to have a forbidden teenage love affair, in a way he supposes that's what this is, for the weekend at least, and well they're not exactly teenagers, however Vince might act. When the kiss finally breaks, they part from each other breathless and giggling.

'I didn't miss you,' Howard informs him closing the gap between them with another kiss, he can feel Vince's smile.

'…I think we might be related.' He blurts out verbally vomiting, Vince fixes him with a quizzical, confused frown.

'Kit slept in with me last night…'

Vince raised one eyebrow his smirk spreading. 'Howard he's your nephew, I reckon you are related.'

'No Sir, I mean me and you, I think we must be related, because Kit is just like you. He fidgets, I had to tell him half a million stories before he'd even consider closing his eyes, and he kicks!'

The sound of movement from down stairs forces the pair to grudgingly part, Vince's hand moves from Howard's collar resting lightly on his hip.

'There's not way I've got any of your weird Northern blood in me.' Vince reassures him.

'There's nothing wrong with…'

'_Breakfast is ready!' _Howard's interrupted by the sound of his Mother's voice floating up from the kitchen.


	9. Just coming

**Back from Glastonbury with a slightly longer post lol…**

**Enjoy…**

**And thanks Hayley: D**

After meeting Howard on the landing Vince hurried into the bathroom, he hated other people's bathrooms, he always had, it disrupted his system. God he sounded anal, he sounded like…Howard. No he didn't, Vince reassured himself. He didn't sound like Howard, because Howard really was anal. I mean what difference did it make if a long piece of sticky tape got mixed up with the shorter pieces, was it really a massive deal if all the pencils weren't sharpened to the exact same length and point, or if _Ella Fitzgerald _ended up sandwiched between _Peggy Lee _and _John Coltrane_. None of that really mattered, it wasn't like hair maintenance, now that really was important.

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'What have you got planned for today, son?'

Howard had only been half listening, everything was so surreal, nothing had changed, but everything had changed. The house was exactly the same as it had always been, the only exception being that the windows were now white UPVC instead of white painted wood, even the television was the same, the sofas, the chairs, the floral patterns, the regimented order. The kitchen had been slightly different, there had been new units, the old breakfast bar where he use to sit and eat before school was gone, replaced by a small circular pine table. He'd always liked that old breakfast bar, he'd stared at the space, the outline the ghost of where it had once been, things got swept away like that.

Howard had been holding Kitten in the crook of his arm, letting the little boy giggle excitedly as he dangled upside down, when she'd seen them his Mother had fixed him with an odd sort of a stare, her small eyes travelling between the pair. Reluctantly Howard had let Kitten go, and he'd hopped up into one of the kitchen table's chairs, Howard had slipped into a seat himself staring at the front of his Father's newspaper, he never looked up from it.

'What have you got planned for today, son?' His Mother asked again, everything seemed to synch back in. Howard took a long slurp of his tea before answering, there was nothing like good old fashioned Yorkshire tea, it had something to do with the water he was sure of it, the water back in London always tasted metallic, pumped full of chemicals, nothing compared to a Yorkshire brew.

'I thought I'd take Kit to _Roundhay Park_, see the gardens, and I think Vince would really enjoy having a look around the shops.' At the mention of his name, Vince bounded down the stairs, a wide grin plastered across his features, his hair as ever looking perfect.

'Alright little front man,' He chuckled ruffling his hand over the top of Kitten's head, Kitten instantly clung to Vince's waist, he flashed Mrs Moon a cheeky wink, but she just swallowed uncomfortably, ignoring his charm offensive. His winks always worked, he just had to nod generally in another human beings general direction and they were like putty in his hands, they always had been. It was so important to Vince that Howard's parents liked him, these were Howard's parents they had to like him.

'And what is it you're doing now, Vincent?' Mrs Moon questioned, as she deposited another toast rack in the centre of the table. Vince stared at it in alarm, the bread was brown, he couldn't eat brown bread, he'd never eaten brown bread, just the cheap white stuff, he only liked the cheap white stuff.

'I'm in a band,' Mr Moon glanced over the top of his newspaper fixing Vince with a peculiar stare, he felt uneasy.

'…and I DJ on the weekends, sometimes…' He found himself stuttering over his words, he never stuttered, he glanced at Howard.

'And you survive on that sort of income?'

'Dad, can you pass the marmalade, please.' Howard's attempt to distract his Father, to change the topic of conversation failed, as the jar of marmalade was placed in front of him, but his Father continued in his patronizing tone.

'Is that why you dress like that, son.' Mr Moon chuckled as Vince, giving him a mocking once up and down.

'Dress like what!' Vince's voice went suddenly shrill and high pitched, thinking quickly Howard caught his hand under the table, squeezing it gently.

'I, I ah I work part time in the shop, too.' He struggled to control his temper noone, nobody insulted his sense of dress, and what was he even going on about, he looked amazing.

'What, that tacky little second hand shop, run by a dwarf.' Vince's eyes widened to almost inhuman proportions, even Kitten glanced up briefly from his breakfast.

'Oh Alan, he was a very nice 'little' man.' Mrs Moon mused tactfully, tapping her husband's arm.

'Well I can't say I'm surprised, Vince,' Mr Moon said his name with a hiss, as he folded up his paper, letting it rest neatly on his lap.

'…you never had much hope of amounting to much,'

'Dad!'

This wasn't how Vince had imagined things going, but part of him hadn't really been surprised. He forgot things, a lot of things, and somewhere along the lines he'd forgotten the way Howard's parents use to treat him, especially Howard's Dad, he'd always really hated him.

'…it's true lad, Vince left school without a single qualification,'

Howard listened as his Father assaulted Vince's character, and watched as his Mother sat in silence with her head buried in her hands. She'd been right, Mabel, she'd been right, and he was wrong, he was such a fool to believe that anything could ever be different, it was all just the same. And then he thought about Kitten, he didn't want him to hear this.

'Vince has got qualifications Dad, he's worked really hard, and I'm proud of him.' Howard squeezed Vince's hand under the table once again. Mr Moon raised one thick greying eyebrow.

'In what exactly.'

'In, in…' Howard faltered briefly.

'In fashion, art and hair design.'

Mr Moon chortled at this.

'Dad.'

'And business.' Vince spoke up, it took Howard by complete surprise because he'd never once said anything about wanting to go back to college, he couldn't imagine Vince studying a subject like business.

'It's for the t-shirt thing with Leroy, we were thinking of making a go of it, he's still banned from the college though.' Vince ignored Howard's parents, and was just talking to him, it was just them. Howard could tell he was lying, Leroy never stuck at anything it had been weeks since there'd been any mention of t-shirt printing. It was because of him, Vince was doing it because he wanted to help him run the club. Howard was beyond happy, he couldn't keep the smile from his face, it was infectious because soon Vince was smiling back, nothing mattered, none of it mattered.

'You finished Kit?' Kitten nodded enthusiastically wolfing down the last of his toast.

'Right, do you want grab you're coat.' Vince and Kitten went off in search of his coat.

'You are coming back aren't you, son?' Mrs Moon asked, a hint of something close to desperation slipping into the corners of her voice.

'Yes Mum, we'll be back later.' He softens, he feeling sorry for her, it isn't her fault she didn't have a backbone.

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'It's a bit like the zoo, here.' Vince notes, the heels on his boats echo as he strides across the boards.

'Better though, they've got animals here for a start.' He grins.

Kitten clattering off excitedly in front of them, trying to get a better look at the water gushing just bellow them. There's a waterfall, a small one, the waters green, it's noisy. Howard doesn't say much, he's gone into parental mode, he's always watching Kitten making sure that a part of him hasn't dropped off, and he's not in mortal danger.

'Lift me up please, I wanna see over the edge.' Kitten dashes back towards them with his hands outstretched, there's something about water and children, it fascinates them. It still fascinates Vince, he stares at his reflection running his fingers through his hair, as Howard lifts Kitten up into his arms. He doesn't dangle him over the edge, he keeps the thick wooden fencing against his nephew's stomach holding him in place.

'Is it very deep?'

'No, I don't think so.' Howard mummers.

'It's deep enough for you.' Vince chuckles, tickling Kitten's exposed side.

'No, no!' The little boy giggles excitedly, wriggling in Howard's arms to escape Vince's tickling.

'I can't breath, my tummy.' Kitten gasps, laughing even harder.

'Simmer down you, two.' Howard warns, as he lets Kitten slip from his arms safely back onto the thick wooden slats under their feet.

'I'm hot.' The little boy complains pulling at the collar of his thick jacket.

'You've over dressed him Howard, how many layers are you making the poor kid wear?' He chuckles striping Kitten down, lifting of his jacket, pulling his jumper up over his head.

'I just don't want him to get cold.' Howard doesn't notice, but Vince does his accent is stronger. Vince always thought that everyone in Leeds would sound like Howard, but they don't, they sound different coarser. Howard's voice sounds like music, to Vince at least.

'It's well tropical in 'ere Howard, he ain't gonna get cold. Do us a photo.' Vince demands, Howard rolls his eyes pulling the lens cap off the camera that's hanging around his neck. He's not sure why he bothered putting it back on in the first place, they haven't gone five minutes with Vince wanting a photo taken.

'_It's are first family holiday, init. I want evidence, gonna show 'em to Leroy.' _Had been his justification when Howard had complained that he was getting arthritis, and cramp from all the snapping away he was being forced to do.

'_I'm not a machine, Sir.'_

'_We all know that, Small eyes.' _

Vince poses, and as always Kitten copies him.

Once the photo is taken they head off in the direction of the small lizards enclosure, where Vince promises Kitten to teach him how to talk to animals.

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'Well, that was a nice walk.' Howard grins, struggling to catch his breath, tiredly folding his arms behind the back of his head. Vince makes a muffled noise, his breath is hot against Howard's neck. He can feel him breathing his chest rapidly rising and falling, his heart is raising.

'Shut up.' Vince complains, spent he flops over into the tall grass next to Howard.

'Bit fast though, not sure I could keep up, Little man.' He laughs, digging the smaller man in his side trying to keep him awake.

'I ain't had a shag in twenty four hours, Howard! It's not right, it's not normal. I had about sixty wanks this morning, I was so hard.'

'Vince, I really don't need to hear about you wanking in my parents bathroom. And it's nice to know what you think of me, Little man.'

Vince rolls onto his side, resting his head against the crook of his bent arm, he smiles.

'I just use you for sex, Howard. And don't worry, I cleaned up after myself, found a couple of old jonnies at the bottom of my case. You didn't clean that out very well.' Somehow, Howard knew it would be his fault. Vince reached out splaying his hand out passively, protectively across his chest.

'I hope you didn't put them in the bin.'

'Course not, Howard, what do you take me for? I flushed 'em down the loo.'

Howard fixed his with a concerned frown.

'That's bad for the environment, what about Marine life, Little man?' Vince considered Marine life for a moment.

'They can use them as balloons, you know for parties and the like. Or empty them out and wear 'em as swimming hats.'

'That's disgusting!' Howard's nose wrinkles with disgust.

Vince shuffles closer to him, resting his head on the crook of his shoulder, Howard drapes one arm over the smaller man's back.

'Bit tired, might have a little sleepie.' He yawned, his eyes drooping. Howard feels tired himself it's been a long day, it was a long night, he could happily follow Vince into sleep. But he can't, they're only meant to be half an hour, while Kitten has a rest, and his Mum prepares the dinner.

'Don't go to sleep, Little man.' He urges softly against Vince's ear. A complaining moan slips from Vince's lips, as he pushes himself closer to Howard, nuzzling the rough stubble on the side of his face.

'I'm knackered, Howard.' He frowns, his eyes still tightly closed. Howard kisses the tip of his crooked nose, watching as his eyes flutter open.

'I hate you.' Vince complains again, not meaning a single word.


	10. Sexual dominoes

Vince was surprised. He was surprised that he didn't loath being 'up North', as much as he thought he would. Actually it wasn't too bad at all, he was actually enjoying himself. It wasn't even as cold as Howard had warned him it might be, the weather had changed from the night before, and it was sunny and hot, and hazy in the late evening sun. He didn't even need the sequined jacket that was slung over the crook of his right arm.

The people Vince had seen were different, he'd expected Leeds to be a never ending palette of browns, and beiges and the dreaded nutmegs and muffins. But it was actually quite bright, and Howard stuck out in Leeds the same way he stuck out back home in London. Vince had expected Jazz, and rubbish fashion. But there wasn't really any Jazz, in fact they'd driven by two electro clubs on the way to the botanical gardens. And people were fashionable in Leeds, not as fashionable as they were in London, of course. But they made an effort, and Vince had even clocked a couple of pairs of skinny jeans he wouldn't have minded owning, and a jumpsuit.

Howard had seemed to completely forget where they were, because he was voluntarily holding his hand, as they made their way back from the playing field. Howard never normally held his hand, okay so sometimes he did, mostly when he was drunk, and then it wasn't just public demonstrations of hand holding. But even now when they were finally together, generally he still shrugged him off. It was just Howard's thing.

Vince wasn't about to break the spell, by pointing out all the uncharacteristic hand holding they were engaged in. Howard didn't even realise until they were standing in front of his parents' garden gate.

'Howard?' Howard jumps back reeling away from Vince as if he'd been burnt, pulling his hand roughly away.

The voice came from a woman. She's leaning against the porch of Howard's parents' house smoking a thin purple cigarette. Vince has never seen a purple cigarette before. Howard almost falls through the garden gate in his eagerness to greet the woman, who's chuckling away. She's tall, and graceful, older, she looks a bit like Howard's sister although her dark hair is much shorted and speckled with grey. Everything about her is purple, from her cigarette, to her shoes, and tights which can just be seen poking out from under her long velvet skirt. She's an old hippie, Vince reckons.

'Aunty Mariella!' There's no way that, that woman can't be Howard's aunt, for a start she seems to interesting.

Howard stops awkwardly suddenly in front of her.

'Howard, you're so tall. I didn't realise, those photos you ' Her accent sounds strange, it's a bit like Howard's but it sounds vaguely Spanish to. Howard blushes at the compliment, and Vince smirks.

'I always knew you would be a big boy, Howard.' She flicks away the last of her cigarette, Vince watches it fly through the air, expecting the smoke to be purple, disappointed by the fact that it's grey.

She holds him, Howard, she flings her arms tightly around him.

Vince watches it with a sharp pang, he'll never have an aunt like that.

'It's nice to see you.'

'Oh Howard, you sound all posh.' Mariella chuckled, Howard blushed again.

'And this much be, Vince?' She asks peering around Howard, fixing Vince with a knowing grin.

Mariella is silent for a moment regarding, and contemplating Vince, tapping her chin with her long tapered index finger as she stares at him. Vince braces himself for the insults.

'It's very nice to finally meet you, Vince,' She clasps his hand enthusiastically, he's distracted by the rings on her fingers, there's at least one ring on each finger all glittering away.

'You're a very pretty boy, prettier than your pictures.' She winks at him, flirting outrageously.

Vince warms to her immediately.

'I'm Howard's Aunty Mariella, I'm his Mother's sister.' She helpfully points out her position in the family tree. She reminded him off someone, it's Mrs Gideon, she's got that way about her, all glamorous. There was a time when Vince would have tried to put one on her, even if she had been Howard's aunt. He's not just about Dollybirds, and androgynous boys, no, Vince has always had a bit of a weakness for the older woman. Ever since he'd fallen for Twix LaRoux, when he'd been in year eight, and she'd been in year ten. God he'd fancied her rotten, he still did a bit, every now and then he'd still walk past the window of the hairdressers she owned. He'd thought about letting her cut his hair a couple of times, but that would have been like cheating on Howard.

'Gran!' There's a shout from inside followed by loud clattering feet, and then a girl appears, her head poking out through the front door. She blinks at Howard, and then flashes Vince with a bright toothy smile. She looks as if she's about sixteen.

'Oh. Hi.' She nods coyly; she's got an angular choppy platinum bob, small brown eyes, and freckles.

'Gran?' Howard can't hide his surprise, glancing at the girl he's only ever seen before in photographs, who looks just like his cousin. She's sixteen though, or well maybe not she could be eleven or even ten, she obviously is a Moon, they age differently to normal folk.

'Oh yes, this is my Granddaughter Audrey' Mariella proudly introduces her Granddaughter, who is busy trying to shrink her neck back into the rest of her body.

'Audrey, this is your cousin Howard.'

'Great.' The young girl rolls her tiny eyes, suitably unimpressed.

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'Come here.' Vince giggled, wrapping his arms around Howard's thick waist.

'Vince, no we can't.' Vince had cornered him in the kitchen when he'd been bringing their plates back from the dining room. It had been a proper stuffy sit down meal, and Vince being Vince had decided that getting drunk would be the only logical way through it. The side effect of Vince being drunk, is Vince being desperate for a shag. At home Howard never bothers to fight him off, because well, he likes Vince jumping on his bones the moment he bursts through the front door. But their not at home now, and now, is not the time for those types of shenanigans.

'Oh come on 'Oward, I just want a snog yeah, I'm not gonna rip all your clothes off and go at you on the kitchen floor, or nothing.' The smirking in the corner of his mouth and the glint in his eye, lets Howard know that, that was in fact exactly what he was thinking of doing.

'Little man, come on don't you want your pudding?' The moment the sentence leaves his mouth, Howard knows it was a wrong choice of words. Vince launches himself on him, like some sex starved cruise missile, slamming his back hard against the work surface behind him. Vince's tongue hungrily probes inside his mouth, insistent.

'Oh.' Reflex suddenly takes over and Howard pushes Vince away with a frown, it's a little harder than he means to do it, Vince stumbles backwards a little. He glances sheepishly in the direction of the interruption; his Aunt is hovering in the doorway of the kitchen.

'Your Mum sent me to get the ice cream, love.' She announces, Howard's not sure what sort of reaction he was expecting, but he was expecting something, anything. He'd been, well his 'best friend' had been kissing him, and nothing, not even a raised eyebrow. Just an 'oh', or is an 'oh' all his sex life merits?

'Why don't you this into the dining room, Vince.' She hands him a bottle of red wine, and Vince dutifully stumbles back into the direction of the dining room.

'That wasn't…Vince is just drunk, it wasn't what it looked like.' He stumbles over his words, scratching the back of his neck. She smiles.

'So, Vince isn't your boyfriend then?' She queries.

Howard stutters opening and closing his mouth, unsure of what to say. She simply chuckles, making her way casually across the kitchen opening the freezer compartment door. A rush of cold air suddenly blasts against the side of Howard's leg.

'I think it's about time you had someone special in your life, love. I've always thought you were a great catch, a big strapping lad like you…' Mid rummage through the icy compartment she pauses, her eyes gaze tilting upwards slightly.

'Or has there always been a 'someone' in your life, Howard?'

'No, no this…' Howard swallows hard.

'…this is a new thing.'

'Well, you look good on it Son. Now, _Raspberry Ripple_ or chocolate, vanilla and strawberry?' He contemplates it for a moment. He feels like a weight he didn't know he was being weighed down by, has been lifted off his chest. Howard considers Vince and Kitten's identical sweet tooth.

'Both.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Howard wakes up with a sudden snort. His heart is racing and for the briefest of moments he struggles to know where he is in the darkness.

'Vince!' He calls out. His hand splays out to feel the familiar comforting figure next to him, but instead there is nothing, an empty void.

His heart picks up speed once again, and he wonders if it's all been some horrible wonderful dream, that's finally come to an end.

The panic doesn't last long however, soon his small eyes adjust to the darkness surrounding him. Glancing upwards he spots the shadow shape, snoring lightly in the middle of his sister's bed. Kitten hadn't wanted to share his camp bed that night, instead he'd been brave enough to sleep on his own.

Silently Howard untangles himself from his sweat soaked sheets, making his way across the room hovering over his nephew's sleeping form. Howard watches him sleep, his eye lids moving rapidly, his breath soft and shallow. He's tempted to reach out and touch him, but in the end Howard changes his mind, Kitten is a light sleeper and he'll only end up waking him, and they've got another big day tomorrow.

Howard slips out of his sister's old room, he had been thinking about splashing some water on his face in the bathroom, but there's really only one place he wants to be. He tiptoes carefully across the hall remembering all the creaks, and lose floorboards. Howard suddenly feels like he's twelve years old again. He creeps back into his old room. Howard's ears suddenly prick up at the sound of Vince's voice.

'_It's all free…for me?' _Vince's voice sounds hollow and emotionless, Howard recognises the familiar tone that the younger man adopts when he's talking in his sleep.

'_Can Gary come? He's already there! Where are my sunglasses, I can't…find 'em…'_

Howard carefully climbs into the bed next to Vince, angling himself awkwardly on the edge. He tries not to wake him. Howard doesn't want him to wake up, he just needs to feel him, to be next to him, he can't shake off the traces of his dream. He just needs Vince. Howard wraps his arm over Vince's sleeping from, soaking up all his warmth.

'_HHoward,' _He stills for a moment wondering if he's accidentally woken him up.

'_Howard, the best…best thing has happened…I own Topshop! I've got a, a special key, and Gary is coming.' _A smile slips over Howard's tired features. He affectionately plants a kiss on the back of Vince's neck.

The plan had been to get up and retreat back into the safety of his sister's old room, but somewhere along the line Howard must have forgotten, because the next time he opens his eyes its morning.

'Alright, small eyes.' Vince grins at him, pressing a kiss on the end of his nose. Howard blinks at him for a few moments.

'I have to, I have to go.' Howard mumbles, Vince catches his arm holding him in place before he has a chance to escape, he's surprisingly strong.

'Fancied some midnight bumming did you, Howard?'

'Sss, keep your voice down Vince.' Confronted by the flustered expression on Howard's face Vince erupts into a sudden fit of giggles.

'Vince!'

'Its s'alright Howard, no one can hear us, it's still dead early it ain't even properly six o'clock yet.' With his free hand he gestures in the direction of Howard's old _Wombles _alarm clock. Registering the time on the clock Howard stops struggling, and melts back into the sheets next to Vince.

'I didn't come in here for sex.'

'What, did you come in 'ere for then?'

Howard swallows hard, as Vince tucks his head underneath his chin.

'I had that dream again.'

'What, the one about _The Stones _playing Jazz?' Vince quizzes, tugging on a strand of stray hair, twisting the thick black glossy lock around his index finger.

'No Vince, that was your dream.'

'Oh yeah.' He chuckles.

'It was nothing, it doesn't matter.' Howard exhaled shakily.

'Howard, go on tell me I wanna know.'

'I dreamt that you, that you…' His cheeks began to glow, he felt silly given voice to a silly dream.

'…that you went off me, that you left me again.'

Everything suddenly fell uncomfortably silently. The silence however was soon punctuated by a sharp burst of laughter.

'Vince?' Howard glanced down at the younger man, the hurt beginning to well up inside of him.

'You're an idiot, small eyes.' Vince gasped, his laughter subsiding.

'Thanks.'

'Oh don't get like that. You know what I mean.' Vince smirked, leaning up he began to pepper Howard's stubbly chin with kisses.

'You know I'll never go off you 'Oward. And I didn't leave you last time, I thought, you know what I thought.' That was the first time either of them had mentioned what had happened since Vince had come back on the day of Howard's sister's wedding. It had been months of not talking about it, they'd both locked it away. It still hurt even now, knowing that there was a part of each of them that would never entirely forget or trust the other. One of them was always leaving, in their own minds at least.

'I won't though; I'll never get sick of you Howard. I love you.' Vince squeezes against the side of Howard's body tightly, and in exchange Howard flashes him his warmest grin.

'I know.'

'No, I really mean it.'

'I know.' He brushes a few stray strands of hair from Vince's face and kisses his forehead.

And, everything keeps on being unsaid.

Vince's mood suddenly flip-flops from serious concern, to being mischievous and horny.

'Oward.'

'Hhumm, Little man?'

'I didn't half wanna shag you last night.'

It's Howard turn to laugh. 'I had noticed, little man.'

'You don't bum me that often do you, Howard?' Howard fixes him with a look.

'Na, you know what I mean,' Vince whispers softly against his ear.

'Well, you don't exactly give me much chance Sir. You're practically on top of me every time I walk through the front door, any door.' Vince desperately tries to stifle a giggle. Howard can feel his warm breath against the side of his neck.

'Its all that power of the Moon business you're always going on about, it's your gravitational pull thing, I just can't resist you.'

'Well, there's no denying it little man, you're not the first to have been mesmerised by my sexual potency and dynamism.'

'What's, dominoes got to do with it?' Vince's features twist into a confused frown, Howard can't help but exhale a world weary sigh. One day he'll say something, and someone will understand him.

'Nothing little man.'

'When we get home,' Vince muses, returning back to his original train of thought, before Howard had brought up the whole subject of sexual dominoes.

'When we get home,' He repeats softly. 'why don't you tie me to the bed, I reckon I'd like you bumming me senseless for a change, plus it would be good exercise for you.'

'What are you trying to suggest, that I'm filling out or…' Before he has the chance to finish his sentence Vince catches his fleshy ear lobe between his teeth, nipping at it sharply, sending shockwaves pulsating down the length of Howard's body. He melts from the inside out, like _Marmite _on warm toast.

'Any…thing, anything.' His breath gets lodged tightly in his chest. The ear thing always reduces Howard to a quivering mess, Vince knows this and deploys it with the skill of a military dictator, bending Howard to his every whim. He presses his teeth down a little harder, grinning at the moan his action exudes. And then just like that, he lets Howard go. Vince watches him, as he lays there next to him silent just blinking.

'You're a cruel bitch, you know that.' Howard speaks breathlessly. Vince simply shrugs.

'You love it.' He does, the fact that Vince can twist and manipulate him into doing anything appeals to the sadomasochistic side of Howard's complex personality. He angles his head glancing over at his clock, which is still counting down the minutes. Howard motions to get up, but Vince catches him again holding him in place.

'Vince, I have to go.' Vince grins as he kisses him. He can be funny about kissing Howard in the mornings, he's got a thing about morning breath.

'Alright.' Vince casually flops back into the centre of the bed spreading out once Howard has vacated, placing his arms behind the back of his head. Howard steals another quick kiss, before carefully leaving the room.


End file.
